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| Hiking | 5.61 Miles |
1,412 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.61 Miles | 4 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.25 mph |
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| 1,412 ft AEG | | | |
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| no partners | | I went out to the Crosscut/Massacre Trailhead on a rainy Sunday morning, contemplating the probability of hiking to the falls in a light rain but finally decided against it. Last year I made the trek in the rain and although I got some nice photos, it did cost me a scratched lens from a stone fleck on my lens cloth. 
I arrived bright and early on Monday (Presidents Day) with only three other cars in the parking lot and hit the trail at 0630. The morning chill made me glad that I had worn my vest and the pre-dawn lighting was just enough to not need a flashlight to show the stumble stones on the trail. I made it to the saddle beside the pointy rock landmark and was surprised to see a tent just off the trail  Then a bit further up the trail, I met a hiker already heading back to the trailhead  After a casual greeting, we continued on our way and I took the opportunity to remove the vest as it was already warming up.
As I was approaching the "Wall", I could hear the running water in the wash leading from the falls and it sounded magical at this early hour, then the falls came into view for the first time and I could see that there was still a pretty good flow  I met a couple heading back just as I was dropping down to the falls, another casual greeting and I had the whole area all to myself, just as the sun was beginning to light up the rock formations above the falls. Got off some shots for "focus stacking" and Panorama's just as five women arrived, all armed with cell phone cameras for "selfi's" with the falls for a backdrop.
Then a group of shirtless muscle-bound teens began to show off their ability to climb all the rocks below the falls as a group of noisy teen girls came on site. Unable to get any more shots of the falls without getting someone in the photo, I packed up my gear and headed back. It's a good thing I left when I did because the trail was now a steady stream of hikers heading uphill and the trail was turning into what resembled a muddy pit. When I got back to the trailhead, the parking lot was filled to overflowing and cars/trucks were parking along the road...Whew! It was a great day to be out but it sure was crowded.
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
A few Brittlebush blossoms are starting to come out and the occasional Mexican Poppy are poking up. |
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| On every trip into the Superstitions, I find another Gold Mine. Today the mine was filled with Memories. I can not wait for the next trip. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
